


Lady of the Hunt

by Sylanna



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/F, Fanart, Hunters & Hunting, Quenya Names, Years of the Trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:21:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29090466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylanna/pseuds/Sylanna
Summary: After a particularly disturbing vision, Artanis searches her favorite cousin for help. She needs someone to teach her how to survive in the wilds. Who better to ask than Irisse?
Relationships: Aredhel/Galadriel | Artanis
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5
Collections: 2021 My Slashy Valentine





	Lady of the Hunt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [2Nienna2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Nienna2/gifts).



Author's note: This is my first exchange! My wonderful beta for this story was [Nuinzilien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nuinzilien/pseuds/Nuinzilien) \- all remaining errors are my own.

#  **Prelude**

The thing with the foresight was, it was a curse as much as it is a blessing. There were many things one didn’t want to know about the future, of the fate of the world. Most of it was increasingly bleak and violent. Of course there were the odd happy family moments in between which gave hope, but they were easily overshadowed.

For one of those thusly gifted, Artanis was often bothered in her sleep by the visions of what was ahead. Though she could never be sure if those glimpses were to become reality, for she refused to believe the future was set in stone.

This night, the vision which came to her in her dreams was disorienting. She found herself standing in a grand forest of big trees like they would never grow in Valinor. The leaves were golden and floating around her. It gave the whole scene the feeling of fading, of a forest dying. The trees felt alive though. Really disconcerting was the light. It was all wrong, as if it wasn’t the light of the trees. It set her mind reeling, thinking this would just be a nightmare. It did not feel like a nightmare, for it had the distinct feel of a vision.

She moved a step forward, and the fallen leaves underneath her feet crumbled and small twigs cracked. Otherwise, there was silence all around. It was almost deafening and eerie, as not even a bird sang in the upper branches of the trees.

Another step and Artanis shuddered. Something was watching her. A presence just out of her reach followed her with crawling magic. Suddenly a growl rang out. It was no sound any animal would make. Artanis, in fear, started to run. Twice she almost tripped over her own feet, thrice she stepped on her gown. A gown! Why was she wearing such impractical clothing in this dream?

She awoke bathed in sweat. Her night gown was clinging to her skin in the most unpleasant way, and she was lying above her covers. Her blood was rushing in her veins, yet she was freezing cold. The vision left her drained and thirsty. There was no way she would fall asleep again soon.

Artanis crawled out of the bed and got a warm coat to wear over her gown. It was the time of the cold nights and she needed to get a drink. On tiptoes she left her room. Her elder brother Angaráto, who had his quarters next to hers, was a light sleeper and she did not want to wake him. She loved him dearly, but he did not understand her visions well, mostly degrading them to simple nightmares. Artanis knew they were not.

She glided down the stairs leading to the yard, where a small well was directed into a fountain. It was of beautiful handiwork, with a statuette gifted to their family from Nerdanel in good faith. In the faint light of the Trees mingled with the stars, it was a sight to behold. Artanis took a cup from the side of the stone basin and submerged it in the cold water. Once it was filled, she took a drink. The liquid ran down her throat, refreshing her from the inside. It did nothing against the chill still residing on her skin, even under her coat, but the fear lifted from her mind at least.

Suddenly the door to the family estate opened and Artanis jumped aside, hiding behind a bush planted conveniently near to the fountain. She watched as the ellon came closer and she knew well who it was. Findaráto, her eldest brother, had come home. It was an open secret among the siblings where he spent most of his evenings and nights. He was smiling absently and wandered past his sister’s hiding spot, stroking his own hair. His stay with Turukáno had been fulfilling then, Artanis deduced.

Once her brother was gone, she left her hiding spot again and was suddenly not satisfied with herself. She had hidden like a child, even though she was long past her majority. From her brother. This was pathetic. And still the vision clung to her as if it would not let go ever again.

She turned her feet towards her own chamber as she got cold. She went on tiptoes across the hallway as to not disturb Angaráto. On her bed, the blanket was still in disarray and slightly warm. She crawled underneath and closed her eyes. For a long while, sleep eluded her. In the darkness of her room the growl of the monsters in her premonition echoed and the feeling of helplessness held her awake.

_This can’t go on this way_ , Artanis decided. If she knew this was coming, she could at least learn how to survive in a forest! Plenty of elves knew how to navigate the woods and read the tracks of animals. Surely one of them would teach her. There were even two in her own family, both her cousins, taught by the mighty Vala Oromё himself. But asking them? Artanis was less sure if it would be a good idea.

The first one and most proficient was Tyelko, third son to her uncle Fёanáro, a wild and stormy ellon who did not care much for her family. He and Artanis weren’t friends, so she would probably not ask him. She also disliked his conduct with the beast he had gotten from his Lord Oromё. It was gross when he brought the hound to the feasts (there was quite a number of them during the year) and he got fed from the table. No, Tyelko she would not ask. His other brothers were no hunters, so she ruled them out.

The other option was to ask Irissё, the only other woman among the heirs of Finwё. She was of long curly, dark hair and a fair face. Her talents lay within the wielding of bow and arrow. She almost never missed her mark. It was a talent Artanis was most envious of. In contrast to all her other relatives, she was not very proficient with any weapon. Findaráto had taught her the basics of swordplay, but this accounted to not much. Nowadays he had not much time for her, as he spent most of the time at Nolofinwё’s house.

She turned her thoughts back to the topic of her teacher again. There was also another reason why she hesitated to ask Irissё. There were certain feelings for the elleth, that Artanis dared not to examine further. She had once mercilessly teased Findaráto when he had fallen for Turukáno, and to Findekáno she had not been kind either. Now, it was coming back full circle.

But Artanis was not ready to ask a strange for the instruction she wanted. And she wanted, no, needed it. If this future came to pass, she would not be helpless. Maybe through this she could avoid that particular fate.

Irissё it was.

Thinking og how to ask her cousin, she finally fell asleep again.

#  **Asking**

In the morning, Artanis awoke with an unpleasant taste in her mouth and the vision on her mind. Her decision was burning in her thoughts, and the anxiety was rising in her. It would not be easy to ask Irissё the question, to beg her for instruction. There wasn’t even certainty if the lady would agree to her pleas. Artanis had watched her cousin from afar for a long time, but they had not spoken too often. Irissё was the elder of the two after all, the age gap between them not insignificant. Nolofinwё’s daughter had been of age already when Artanis had been born. At feasts, they were often placed in close proximity, probably for their gender, a practice which the golden haired elleth hated. Why was it so important? She did get along with her male relatives better than with the ladies with whom she had been grouped during education. Embroidery and drawing were not her crafts, and it had set her apart. Artanis felt she was destined for greater things.

The opportunity to beg for Irissё’s assistance presented itself at the next feast in the castle of High King Finwё. It was the birthday of Indis, wife of the king and grandmother to Artanis. Fёanáro was absent, as were most of his sons. It was to be expected, and it still sent shivers down her spine. This family was not fine, not at all. Surprisingly, aunt Nerdanel had come and brought with her Maitimo and Makalaurё. Tyelko was absent, thankfully. He would have drawn Irissё away as soon as possible. Secretly, Artanis suspected there was more between them, and her jealousy flared up again. She doused the flames of it with a sip of wine. It was the best brew to be found in all of Tirion, dark like blood and sweet as any fruit should be. The alcohol of it stung a bit in the throat, but this burn was appreciated. Soon, a lightness made itself into her head. It was elfwine, and potent at that. Again, she thanked her fortune at not being seated with the High King and the High Princes at the main table, with the ominous empty seat of Fёanáro. She imagined the mood there to be worse. She grabbed a piece of bread from a basket in front of her and added some cheese from a silver plate. At least the food at these feasts was of extraordinary quality ,and it filled her stomach.

As she chewed on the food, she let her gaze travel down the table. It passed over bottles and filled glasses, the faces of her brothers, and finally settled on the only other elleth. She was beautiful, her curly hair open for once, save for woven braid laid like a crown around her head. She looked noble indeed. In her hand was a glass filled with the same dark red wine Artanis was drinking. Her cousin smiled and talked with Aikanáro, who seemed almost a bit bored. In her opinion, he did not deserve the attention Irissё was gifting him.

She turned her eyes away for a moment, hoping nobody had caught her staring. It was unbecoming , after all. After a few moments she glanced back. Aikanáro seemed to prepare to leave, s0 his seat would be vacated soon. This would be the moment to take his place, the chance Artanis had waited for. She tensed up, waiting for the perfect moment to stand up.

When Aikanáro finally stood up, Artanis took her courage and claimed the seat in front of her cousin. She looked her in the face and n0ted that Irissё had also drunk a bit more wine. Her pupils were the tiniest bit dilated and her face was flushed. Her braid was in perfect order still, the curls of her hair falling down in gentle waves.

“Hey Artanis!”, Irissё greeted her.

“Irissё”, the elleth replied. The few sips of wine had already made her feel a bit light of head. The presence of her cousin could also be a factor contributing to it.//

“Nice feast”, Artanis said and could almost smack herself. This was the worst kind of small talk she could have started with.

“Hmm”, Irissё replied. “It’s a bit boring though. Care to sneak out?”

“We shouldn’t.”

Irissё sighed. “You’re not more interesting than Aiko then”, she pouted.

Artanis took a sip of her own wine. The alcohol made her susceptible to such suggestions. “Alright, let’s sneak out.”

A sly grin appeared on the dark haired elleth’s face. “I have the perfect idea!”

There was nothing else to do than let herself be dragged away from the main hall with all the guests. The guards at the doors nodded at them, well aware that they were princesses and allowed to roam through the castle. Shortly after they had passed the gate, Irissё grabbed Artanis’ hand. The contact sent a nice shiver through her whole body. She felt a bit guilty for it, but ignored it in favour of just following.

“Where are we going?”, Artanis asked.

“Climbing”, Irissё answered, her voice hinting at something more.

“Climbing? In the castle?”

“Just follow me, will you?”

Irissё led the way outside, through a side door into the garden. It was the garden once planted by Miriel, mother of Fёanáro, before the ellon had been born. Most of the flowers were of white or red colour. It had been the favoured combination of the artist, and the garden was kept in her honour by the gardeners. It was said Finwё visited sometimes, walking among the plants in remembrance.

Artanis did not know what they were doing there. It was not a place which was open to the general populace of Tirion. It was more the backyard of the palace, for the family only. Her cousin led her to the wall on the eastern side of the garden. A vine of ivy crawled up the wall, old and thick. It went up halfway up the castle, going towards the windows on the second floor.

“And now, up!”

“Irissё!”, Artanis protested. “Why can’t we just take the stairs?”

“First of all, that would be boring. Secondly, up there is the secret stash of grandpa Finwё’s Vanyarin wine. And I want a bottle of it for me and Tyelko to share.”

Another sting of jealousy ran through Artanis. Again Tyelko! He took up so much of the elleth’s time. Artanis would help her get the bottle of wine anyway.

“And how do you suggest we get up there?”

“Climbing, as I said. The vine will hold.”

“Why do I get the feeling this is not the first time you’re doing this?”

“Maybe because it isn’t.”

“I don’t think I can climb in a dress”, Artanis said.

“Poor choice of wardrobe”, Irissё commented dryly.

Artanis took this as her first lesson and watched as her cousin stripped out of her skirt, revealing the trousers she wore underneath. The piece of fabric got stuffed behind the leaves of the vine.

“Then you are my guard now”, the elleth declared and grabbed the vine. With a few flexes of her muscles, she was already a few feet up in the air. Artanis’ heart beat erratically, fearing her hopefully-soon-teacher would fall.

It was all over in a few seconds, and Irissё threw her leg over the window-sill on the second floor. She disappeared and Artanis resolved to acting natural, looking at the flowers. Only a few were in bloom right now. Miriel had chosen them carefully, so that at all times of the year some sort would be in bloom.

A whistle from above ripped her from her thoughts. “Everything clear?”

“Yes! No guard came checking. I think they are at the feast.”

“Alright! I’m coming down!”

Artanis watched as her cousin scrambled down the wall. It was a bit less graceful than her climb up, but still a sight to see. Especially because in her left she held a black bottle, it’s silver paper covered in curling letters. Because of the movement, Artanis was unable to decipher the words, but she had seen such a bottle once before. At another time so long ago, she had been an elfling then. It was certainly one of the prized Vanyarin wines, as Irissё had promised.

She jumped down the last metre and came to stand before Artanis. “Hold this for a moment, please.” Then she proceeded to get her skirt back on. Thankfully, it had not gotten overly dirty, or the elves at court would certainly have sneered underneath their breaths.

“Open it!”, Irissё commanded.

“I thought you wanted to save it for good times with Tyelko?”

“Pff. This is our loot. Let’s share.”

They did take only a small sip of it. The drink was potent and biting in the throat. It would not become Artanis’ favourite, but it was acceptable. The Vanyarin specialty was special indeed, and tasted different than the usual fare at the feast.

“It’s alright”, Irissё commented. “Last time, I got another vintage. It was better.”

It was now or never and Artanis swallowed heavily. “Do you think…”, she started.

Irissё caught on to the shift in mood immediately. “What is it?”

“I need a teacher.”

“Teacher? For what?”

“Surviving in the woods.”

Irissё’s eyes grew wide. “And you’re asking me for that? Why not someone more knowledgeable, like Tyelko?”

“Tyelko and I – We have differences. And I know and trust you.” Better to go with honesty than talking around it.

“What brought this on?”

“Let’s call it a nightmare. Are you willing?”

“Of course! I never thought you would be interested in hunting.”

“It’s more tracking and navigating I need to learn.”

Irissё grinned. “I will teach you everything. You never know when it will come in handy.”

“Fine.”

“First lesson tomorrow afternoon, after we have slept this drink off?”

“Accepted.”

# First Lesson

Artanis was very excited for her first lesson. Problem was, she had no clothing which would be suitable for the excursion to the forest, which Irissё no doubt was planning. Their meeting point was set up for the gate which led out of Tirion. On foot. To her own shame, there were no suitable trousers and tunics in her closet which she could have worn. Again, she cursed her decision to wear gowns most of the time. She loved them for the silhouette they gave her body and the feeling of the fabrics on her skin.

She gritted her teeth and knocked on Aikanáro’s door. He was of a similar stature to her, and maybe he would lend her some clothes. He had been trained as a hunter and a swordsman, though he preferred the blade these days over the killing of animals.

“Artanis”, he greeted her, a bit surprised at seeing her at this time.

“Hey Aiko. Can I borrow some of your hunting gear?”

He stared at her as if she had flames instead of hair. “What?”

“Can I borrow a trouser and a tunic suitable for hunting from you?”

“Going full Nerwen again?” Oh, how she disliked the name, and he knew it. This time, she would not comment on his teasing. It was cheap.

“Yes”, she answered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Want to get some blood on my hands. Now, can you lend me an outfit?”

“Of course”, he chuckled and went to his closet. Aikanáro selected trousers made of sturdy linen and a tunic of a softer material with applications of suede. “Here, you can use these. Try to not destroy them.”

Artanis felt uncomfortable walking through the streets of Tirion in trousers and tunic. Logically, she knew it was idiotic. Her cousin never wore anything but if not required otherwise by circumstance. The people watched her with raised eyebrows when she crossed the marketplace. She shot them stern glances back until they turned away. Seriously, why were there different standards for her?

Thankfully, she was finally on the road leading out of Tirion, where she would soon reach the meeting point with Irissё. Her cousin was already waiting and waved when she spotted Artanis. She wore her usual hunting gear of green suede and linen trousers, a bow slung over her shoulder and a long knife strapped to her waist.

Artanis waved back and quickened her steps until she stood panting in front of her friend.

“At least I do not have to scold you for wearing a dress into the woods!”, Irissё said in a good mood and grinned. “This outfit suits you well.”

The golden haired elleth blushed, unused to such comments from someone whose words meant something to her. At a loss how to react, she bowed her head a bit. “What are your plans for today?”

“Just the basics. I know you asked for tracking mostly, but if I am going to teach you anything, we start with basic survival. So that you can survive should you get lost among the trees.”

It was a sound proposal, so Artanis agreed with whatever her cousin had planned. It would help her a great deal, calming her nerves about the premonitions. They were coming more often these days. She was glad she had not found herself in the eerie golden wood again with the growling monsters. Instead, she had more often than not seen flames, fire without context. It did not frighten her much. Fire she was accustomed to, as one burned in many houses.

“I thought we could start with the easy stuff”, Irissё declared. “Gathering supplies and how to start a fire without magical items. What do you think?”

“I will follow your directions”, Artanis replied and got lost in her cousin’s eyes. They were grey, common among their people. Now they were alert and watching. She averted her gaze.

Together they walked towards the near forest. These were not the wilds. These were well groomed trees and not many bushes among them. These were the woods the Noldor used like fields for trees. Yvanna had protested, the story went, but had relented when it had been promised a new tree would be planted for every felled one.

“The two easiest things to find are berries and mushrooms”, Irissё explained. “They will keep you fed, but only for a while. Also, there are seasonal, berries in summer and the mushrooms towards autumn when the strength of the trees lessens before their new cycle begins. As it is the time of the berries now, I’m going to show you which are edible, and which are not.”

Artanis followed Irissё through the forest and they happened upon some bushes. These were more like vines with thorns, but the berries at the ends looked delicious.

“I call them red and black beadlings”, Irissё explained. “Other hunters have other words for them, but I doubt a standard has been set. At least not to my knowledge. They are edible.” She stretched herself and plucked a few berries from the branches and offered the two kinds to Artanis to taste them.

The young lady took them and observed them carefully. Indeed, the berries were made of many small orbs or beads. Irissё’s name for them described them perfectly. The red ones were of a matte colour and felt in the hand as if they had a bit of a pelt. The dark blue, going towards black ones were smooth and shining. Because of their built, there was a certain relationship between them.

Carefully Artanis put the red one first between her lips. It was very sweet, but the single orbs of the berry included many seeds. One became stuck between her teeth, and she had to loosen it with her tongue. Irissё laughed a bit as she witnessed this, but thankfully, there was no malice in it. “Yeah, these small seeds can be a bit complicated, but how do you like them?”

“They taste fantastic”, Artanis said. “I wonder why I have never seen them at court…”

“We hunters like to have some things to ourselves”, the dark haired elleth divulged. “Now the black one.”

The dark berry tasted similarly, but it was a great deal more sour. The sweetness mingled with it resulted in an almost perfect taste ,and Artanis knew she would prefer this variant of these berries.

“I like this one better”, she said.

“Oh? Interesting – Most elleths I showed them to preferred the red one.”

“Then there was bound to be one who said otherwise. Now, what’s next?”

“More berries of course. See those orange ones high on the tree over there?”

“I do.”

“They are bitter, so do not try to eat them raw. Cooking them into a mash helps with that aweful taste. If I would be hunted by a monster, I would not take those, for fire tells everyone where you are. If you have to hide, only light a fire when the sun rises or sets in a red sky.”

“Alright, I will remember this”, Artanis declared. In her mind she noted that these would be edible in case.

Irissё smiled. “The awesome thing with these orange bird’s berries is, they remain on the branches for the whole of the leafless season, so they can be plucked at any time. Great if the storages on a long hunt run low.” Her gaze drifted west to where the great forests were, a longing in it.

Soon they came upon a clearing which was filled with bushes, their twigs and branches laden with small white flowers. Looking closer, their middle was filled with a rich green colour and every bloom had eight petals.

“What is this?”

“Again, there is no standardized name. Tyelko calls them blackfrosts, for in late autumn they have almost black berries. One can’t eat them before the first frost, as they are too bitter to consume. Also, eating too much will make your body hurt. So best to keep away.”

Artanis nodded, but she could not resist the temptation and plucked a twig with many blossoms. She then proceeded to add it to Irissё’s braids. The little blossoms were a beautiful contrast to her long and wavy locks. Her cousin usually did not like wearing things in her hair, but the small branch she accepted, even if she grumbled a bit at being poked at.

“More berries?

“More berries!”

Irissё showed her two yellow small fruits next, which tended to grow at the edge of the woods. Finding them in the darker parts was unusual, as they needed more light. Again, Artanis made mental notes of this, to never ever forget her lessons.

“But berries are pretty seasonal”, Artanis interjected a bit later.

“They are. Well, most of those which can be eaten without cooking them before, at least. But there are roots and some mushrooms which can be harvested all around the year.”

“Roots?”

“Yes, of course. But one has to dig for those. They are easy to find, though.”

Irissё showed Artanis some plants of which the roots were edible without cooking them first. They tasted like Artanis thought wood might taste. Not very good, but certainly better than going hungry.

Despite them finding much of those, they soon switched back to the berries. These were just more tasty and would do for a meal, as the night was coming. The sky was getting darker and Varda’s stars were appearing. Through the leaves of the trees not much of them was to be seen. The shadows between were getting darker and Artanis was thankful the few leaves, which were falling down, were green and not golden. As the wind picked up, some of her hairs escaped her braids and fell into her face. She brushed them back and saw Irissё was not faring better. Her strands were much harder to tame than Artanis’ were, as her hair was a bit shorter. The huntress pushed her hair back and was especially graceful doing so. Again, the golden haired elleth was struck by the beauty of her cousin and averted her eyes. Instead, she stepped up to the nearest berry bush and stripped a few of the delicious things off. Unfortunately, she pressed one of the delicate berries to hard and the juice spilled onto her fingers. It was one of the black beadlings, and its juice was a deep purple. It felt cool for a moment and stained her skin in the colour.

“Be careful not to get the juice on your clothing”, Irissё cautioned. “It’s really complicated to get it out of any fabric.”

“Oh. I will keep that in mind.”

“Here, let me help you”, Irissё said and got a handkerchief out of her pocket. It was obviously more a rag she had used and washed many times. It was worn and soft. She carefully pushed it against Artanis hand and wiped the juice away. Their skin brushed, and an electric shock went through her.

The moment was over in a flash and Irissё pulled back. “I’m sorry”, she whispered.

“For what?”

“You tensed up, I thought I had hurt you.”

Artanis’ heart beat faster. She could not tell her perfect cousin it was the exact opposite. She settled on: “You didn’t.”

“Oh, alright”, Irissё said. “I think this is all I can teach you today. The light is mingling, maybe we should get back to the city.”

She was right. It was getting late. Artanis had told her family where she had gone, but they would worry sooner or later. Her sudden spiked interest in hunting would tell them something was wrong. Findaráto was the most likely to question her about it, if he thought about it after his meeting with Turukáno.

“When are we going to meet up again?”

“Tomorrow? I could bring Tyelko, he’s the better tracker of the two of us.”

“Tomorrow would be fine, but we should keep Tyelko out of it…” Artanis did not know how to decline this offer politely. The silver haired Fёanorion and she were not friends at the best of times. Maybe it was her fault for once reacting too strongly about the hound Huan.

Thankfully, Irissё picked up on her mood very soon. “Oh, I forgot he and you are not especially close -”

“I am very confident you can teach me everything I need to know for my purposes of navigating in a forest.”

“Oh, I will teach you much”, Irissё promised and winked. It was a promise and Artanis very much looked forward to her next lesson.

Together they made their way back to Tirion underneath the stars, which were the most brilliant of Varda’s creations. Unfortunately, they had to split up soon after they passed through the main gate, for their homes were in different parts of the city. They embraced for one last time before each going their own way.

# Tracking

Another prophetic dream of the woods came to Artanis in the night. This time, the forest had a different feel compared to the last one. There was magic in the air, but it was not hostile. As far as she could tell, the magic formed a barrier of some sort. Artanis did not know if it was supposed to be a prison or protection. It had the feeling of both, and it made her feel weary. The magic was great, as if one of the Ainur had crafted it. Why one of them would ever do such a thing was beyond the her. It left her with the impression of a great threat somewhere around. Again, anxiety flooded her and she looked around, trying to take in as much of the vision as she could.

This forest was a dark one and the trees were old. The vegetation resembled the one of Valinor a bit, but there was a certain strangeness to it. Either something had disrupted the world on a basic level, or this was not Aman. Above the leaves of the trees, the light fell like it had done in her previous dream, a bad sign. This light was neither of Telperion nor Laurelin. Fear gripped Artanis’ heart. Fear of the future. She wished her visions to never come true.

She began walking through the forest, travelling towards the border she felt. As she walked, the forest became even darker, the leaves around her almost black. The bushes were full of thorns. At least in this vision, she was not wearing a dress, but a grey tunic and suede trousers of the same colour as she had worn on the gathering with Irissё during her waking hours. It made the walk so much easier, and she found her way. Only twice did the thorns scratch her hands and draw small drops of blood. Artanis did not know if this was a bad sign.

She soon came to a river, running fast. It was a bit too broad to jump over for her and the current was so strong, she was not able to see the ground. There was also a lot of dirt mixed in, and the swirls on the surface spoke of great turbulences below This was not a stream of the blessed realm, this was dangerous and she would never set a foot in such a body of water. This was a natural border as well as a magical one, as she sensed the barrier was ending right at the other bank of the river. The stones over there were overgrown with black moss and slippery, as far as Artanis could tell.

As she watched on, a creature of evil intent came into view. Artanis held her breath. She knew not if to run or to hide. The eight-legged thing, a spider as big as a hare, bared its poisonous mouth at her and lunged against the barrier. Artanis checked her outfit for weapons and found a small hunting knife with a hilt made from antler. She gripped it tight. The jump of the spider-creature failed. It missed the landing on Artanis’ side of the river by barely an inch and fell into the water. It uttered a scream, revealing it was not a harmless spider of Aman, but something more, and then was sucked under the surface by the currents. The elleth’s breathing was hard and she remained alert, fearing the thing would resurface again. It didn’t.

She awoke as she had the last time, bathed in sweat and her throat sore. Thankfully, she had not woken her siblings and was alone in her room. She again cursed these visions for their violence and darkness. Why could she not at least once have a prophetic dream about her cousins marrying their lovers? Why always the darkness? She did not understand.

Another fact came to her a bit later, as she was at the fountain again to calm down. Her dream had been different this time. She had been armed with a small knife and her clothes had been more suitable. In retrospect, the grey colour of them was novel, as the Noldor generally preferred dying their outfits according to their heritage. Artanis herself wore gold, red and white colours most of the time. Grey was preferred by the Teleri, to which she was related through her mother’s side. Still, it wasn’t the colour she would choose normally. Maybe her unconscious mind had chosen because of the general mood of the vision, but maybe her new training with Irissё had influenced her future. She had carried a knife and worn more practical clothing, which was much different compared to her last vision. Also, she had felt more calm during the episode of foresight. She needed to continue the training, as the possibility of it saving her life was a very real one.

They met up thrice more, and Irissё taught her a great deal about reading the tracks of animals. It started easyily enough, at a small well where the dirt was soft and many tracks could be seen and touched. Artanis tried to memorize every small bit of knowledge given to her. She would be a good student to her beloved cousin.

Soon it became less a game and a true hunt, as they were going for an elderly deer who would be easy prey. Artanis felt a bit uncomfortable, but she understood this would be the end of her lessons. Afterwards, she could either accompany Irissё more often, or draw back again. The latter was the more sound option, but also the one her heart protested against. Maybe she could find a way somewhere in the middle. Hunting with the company of Oromё was not a good idea, for she would have to see her cousin Tyelko at Irissё’s side, and already the thought stung her.

“Today will be the day you will show me what you have learned”, Irissё announced. “Today you are going to hunt and kill.”

Artanis shuddered. She had hoped to avoid this lesson. She hated spilling blood, event that of animals. There were enough berries and roots to sustain her. But, with her violent dreams, she feared she had to learn. She would not disappoint her cousin.

“I do not like it”, she said despite her resolution.

Irissё raised her right eyebrow. “I know. You are no hunter by heart. And still this trial you must pass ,and I shall never bother you again, for you have learned what I could teach you.”

Artanis swallowed. Irissё knew her, they had grown up together. She would not fail this quest, this test of strength and will.

It was almost easy to find the tracks a young stag had left, one who had been wounded by a wolf somewhere in the woods. The animal was bleeding, and following the prints in the mud and the red splotches on the leaves was no hard task.

# The Revelation

“This was a good kill”, Irissё praised her later. “A worthy addition to the stores of our family.”

Artanis kneeled at the stream and held her hands inthe water. “Thank you”, she said. Her own feelings were more complicated. She did not particularly like the killing of animals.

“Why the sudden interest in gathering, tracking and hunting?”, Irissё asked her as they were resting on the ground underneath a big tree. The shadow fell on them and shielded them from the warmth of the day.

“Oh..”, Artanis replied, trying to evade. “It just came to my mind that the knowledge would be important to gain.”

“Just like that?”

Oh, Irissё was clever. She did not radiate this gift of hers, but it was there and flared in the most inconvenient moments. Telling her about the vision was certainly an option, but not preferred.

Artanis’ silence had answered for her.

“So there is a story behind it.” Irissё sagged against the tree, her posture suddenly a bit sad. “Tell me about it?”

And so the blonde relented. “I had a vision of the deeply disturbing sort. I was in a dying forest of golden leaves and a monster was hunting me. No path was trodden, so I stumbled among the trees not knowing where to go, fleeing from whatever was after me. I never want to feel this helpless in a forest again.”

“I’m sorry you had to experience this”, Irissё whispered. “But know I am here for you if you ever need to go into such a forest ever. And don’t go alone, take someone with you.”

“Thank you”, Artanis replied, equally as hushed. The tension left her body. “You know, these visions, I never know if they will come true or not. It seems so unlikely”, she trailed off.

Irissё raised her eyebrows. “Your gift is strong.”

“Then why do I only get visions of death and danger and always this strange light? We are in Aman, these are secure lands!” Desperation crawled inside her heart. “I am sick of seeing destruction.”

“How much do you see?”

“Every fifth vision is a pleasant one”, she confessed.

“You never said anything!”

Artanis placed her face in her hands. “Do you think I want to tell my brothers that I saw them burning in fire? No. Especially as I cannot tell how and when, or even if this will happen.”

“If?”

“None of my visions have come true yet, save for the one about Finrod kissing Turgon. Which I never want to see again in my life, thank you.”

“Oh come on, every Eldar in Aman expected this to happen!” Irissё laughed“. At least those with eyes. Watching them literally dance around each other at the feasts was painful.”

“I agree”, Artanis whispered.

They were silent for a few moments.

Then Irissё whispered faintly. “Have you seen my future?”

Artanis shook her head. “No. Your future is shrouded in mystery for me, and I never asked the other ones gifted like this about it. We don’t share much. It is a burden.”

A relieved sigh came from her cousin. “I am glad for it. I do not wish such images upon you.”

“It wouldn’t be your fault.”

Irissё turned towards her and their gazes found each other. Her left hand sneaked over and grabbed Artanis’ right. “It would still feel like it. If you ever need to talk about your visions, I am there for you. As well as for more hunting lessons.” A bright grin split her face and again the blonde was taken aback by how beautiful she was, leaning against the tree. Her dark hair fell around her face, pushed forward to not stick to the bark too much. There was a small green leaf tangled among the locks. It suited her, almost like an ornament and certainly better than all those princesses’ circlets she had been given for court. Maybe there was an idea forming in her head.

Irissё squeezed her hand and Artanis jumped a bit.

“Where were you right now?”

“Right here.”

“And your thoughts, where did they stray?”, the huntress teased her.

‘Like the wind through your hair’, Artanis did not say. Instead, she opted for a simple “You”.

“Aww. I was thinking about you too”, Irissё said, her tone now dancing through the air.

Artanis actually blushed, giving her face a garish contrast to her yellow hair. She wanted to turn away, but also wanted to know what her cousin would say next.

“And what, exactly?”

“That you are so strong. You know, most of the boys think you’re weaker than them, because you do not like to swing a sword. But in truth, you bear so much more than they do. Carrying all those premonitions with you requires unparalleled strength of mind… And you are the most beautiful for it.”

Irissё thought her to be beautiful? The most magnificent elleth thought her, plain and blonde Artanis, to be..? This was a dream, it had to be. If her right hand had been free, she would have pinched herself. But, her fingers were intertwined with her cousin’s. And the fingers tightened a bit, telling her this was reality.

“I noticed your staring”, Irissё whispered and shifted closer. “Tell me, Artanis. Do you desire me?”

The wind was warm and their bodies were next to each other. It would be so easy for the blonde to reach out for her cousin, to shift even closer and answer. Shock held her motionless and she just breathed for a moment. The air was clear and carried the scent of wild berries. It took her a few moments to realize the smell was coming from Irissё, probably a perfume distilled of the fruits of the forest. Why hadn’t she noticed sooner? Now that her senses had picked up on it, it was overwhelming.

The seconds passed and still Artanis was unable to speak the truth, to open up to her cousin, who she desired indeed. It was more than a simple desire of the body.

She finally nodded and squeezed her cousin’s hand back.

The response was immediate. Irissё sat up and swung her right leg over Artanis’ body. She came to sit atop her, her face flushed, the long dark locks falling over her shoulders. She threw them back with a sway of her head, which moved her whole body. Artanis, who now lay underneath her favourite cousin, was reduced to staring. She was glad no witness was there, for their position was inappropriate. It felt good though, to have Irissё seated on her lower abdomen. Only a fraction of her weight was on Artanis’ body, the rest was balanced on the hunter’s knees, which were placed at Artanis’ sides. It left her with not many options how to place her hands. On her stomach, they would be painfully close to very private areas of Irissё’s body, and spreading them out would be awkward. She settled upon resting them on the upper legs of her beautiful cousin. The suede of her trousers was warm of her body and Artanis caressed this part of her friend with gentle strokes.

“You could have told me”, Irissё said and leant forwards, her hair now tickling Artanis’ breast. She was wearing the soft tunic her cousin had given here. It was a modest one, but with the lady sitting in the place she was, the tugging exposed her cleavage a bit. The contact with the hair was light as a feather, but enough to tell her how close their faces had come since the revelation of her desire.

“Could I?”, Artanis whispered back and raised her head a bit, coming closer. “I feared rejection, for you were out more often with the ellyn of the hunt.”

“Truly, I have been with an ellon of the hunt before”, Irissё replied, shifting atop Artanis with a gentle motion. “But my eyes are open for ellyth, too.”

The blonde breathed in sharply. “But the laws…”

“Are customs, not written in the great song.”

“But…”

“Relax”, Irissё said, moving again, her hips like small waves upon the shores of the world. “It takes more than a kiss and a tumble in the woods for a binding bond to form.”

“Oh”, Artanis said and relaxed. She had only heard vague things about marriage and the customs around it and was glad her cousin was knowledgeable in these matters as well. She needed her guidance, it seemed.

“May I kiss you, dearest cousin?”, Irissё whispered and came even closer. Her hips lifted slightly up and her weight vanished from her hips. The blonde mourned the loss for a moment until she remembered the question and nodded. Her stomach was doing a little twist of excitement as she saw Irissё’s eyes lighting up.

The kiss was soft against her lips, so much more gentle than she had imagined her cousin to be. It was only a moment until a tongue swiped across her bottom lip, warm and slightly wet, asking for entrance. Artanis readily opened her mouth and let her hands wander up, letting one hand lie on her cousin’s waist and the other travel further up to place it on her neck.

The kiss deepened and Irissё’s tongue invaded Artanis mouth. The blonde felt it against her own. A part of her mind was still a bit reluctant, but she found she liked the invasion very much. Artanis strained her neck to get a better angle and returned the kiss. It was significantly more complicated for her to return the action with the tongue, for she was working against gravity, but a small sigh told her she was on the right track. She would follow it.

\- - -

Before they separated, Irissё gave Artanis a gift. She had hidden it in her pack the whole day, and had not even hinted at it. It was a hunting knife of extraordinary craft, this much the blonde elleth could see. The sheath for it was made from dark brown leather and painted with green vines of the forest.

“Thank you”, Artanis whispered, still reeling from all which had happened that day. She leaned forward a pressed a kiss to her cousin’s lips. “But how did I earn this gift?”

“You made your first kill today, Artanis. It is tradition that you shall now carry your own knife.”

“Oh”, she whispered, letting her hands wander over the smooth leather.

“You can wear it on your belt or in a contraption around your leg. I never leave the house without mine. Pull it out”, Irissё declared with a glint in her eyes.

Artanis followed her instructions. She gripped the hilt, made from antler and a strange feeling shot through her. Then her eyes fell upon the blade, etched with beautiful tengwar. It was the exact same knife she had seen in her dream, the one with the spider-creature, and her breath stopped.

They had changed the future together. It would still be frightening, but Artanis had gathered some hope. For if this knife could last, so could she and the elves she loved.


End file.
